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From The Times

June 12, 2008

We must beef up the UN and the EU

If we are to tackle the perils of a globalised world, we have to rethink our international institutions

George Robertson and Paddy Ashdown

Globalisation, if left unmanaged, is a threat to Britain's national security. This is a bald statement, but it is true, and we would be better off as a country if its veracity were more widely accepted and its implications more fully understood. Globalisation may have brought huge benefits to millions of people around the world but it has simultaneously exposed us to new hazards that we are not well placed to meet. We need a new approach aimed squarely at the management of a world in which power is slipping beyond the control of states.

Today's security agenda is often presented as a long list of threats: international terrorism, transnational crime, the threat of a new pandemic, energy insecurity and the dangers of climate change. These are all pressing issues but it is too easy to present them as disparate and unconnected.

The fact is that transnational crime has not gone transnational by accident but as a direct by-product of the increased flows of goods, services and people in the mainstream economy. Terrorism has not become a bigger concern just because of the rise of jihadist groups but because global communications and the diffusion of knowledge and technology have extended the organisational reach and increased the destructive potential of even small numbers of people. The pandemic threat is not so serious just because of the possibility of a disease outbreak but because, in a world of people moving on this scale, a disease could be upon us long before we know it is even there.

The binding theme in all this is the interdependence that comes with globalisation: the extent to which we are all connected, reliant upon and vulnerable to each other, just about wherever we live on the planet. No issue is more emblematic of this than climate change, which may yet become a contributing factor to population displacement and societal conflicts around the world. And no issue is more symbolic of its realities than energy security, where the UK faces concerns over both the security and price of our increasingly international energy supply.

This is not a temporary state of affairs but a permanent one and an interdependent world is a world of shared destinies, where insecurities in one part of the world can quickly affect security in another. In this environment no state, no matter how powerful, can meet its security needs alone. Nor is the security front line any respecter of borders. The front line in the battle for security now exists simultaneously in the battlefields of Afghanistan, in the fragile states of Africa and the Middle East, in our public health arrangements to deal with biothreats and in our attempts to counter radicalisation.

In response to this we need a new era of multinational institution- building, and a deepened level of security and defence collaboration inside the EU. On both, we need to match the talking with action.

There is clearly a need for the Security Council to be reformed, to bring in new permanent members such as India, Brazil and South Africa. This would make it more reflective of today's world. We shouldn't, however, stop reform of the UN - or perhaps even start it - with the Security Council itself. There are other, more realistic goals. The UN needs to be seen more as an important conferrer of legitimacy on international action, rather than always as the implementer of action itself. It needs to direct additional financial and logistical support to regional organisations, such as the African Union, particularly in conflict prevention and the provision of well-trained and equipped peacekeeping forces. We should also reinforce important UN agencies such as the World Health Organisation.

Beyond the UN, we need a new era of treaty-based action. What we have in mind here is not John McCain's idea of a League of Democracies, which has a “return to the Cold War” mentality written all over it, but a more issue-based approach that strengthens treaties and institutions that already exist to address specific challenges. Examples here include the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Criminal Court and a post-Kyoto climate change framework. We also need to create new treaties and multilateral institutions to support them, to deal with issues such as global energy co-ordination, internet crime, terrorism and small arms.

In Europe there is no area of threat that couldn't be more effectively addressed through deeper collaborative effort. The EU is learning how to use elements of soft power to promote European interests abroad and to promote stability in the wider European neighbourhood. But multilateral co-operation at European level must also involve greater defence co-operation if it is to be taken seriously. The drive to create EU battle groups should be accelerated, made fully compatible with Nato response forces and should form the basis of an emerging European counter-insurgency capacity capable of operating in failed states and post-conflict environments. This will be vital if we are called upon by the UN or others to extend public authority into some of the ungoverned spaces that globalisation is helping to generate.

We also need improved EU intelligence co-operation to combat terrorism and organised crime, the creation of integrated EU special forces, and a serious increase in gendarmerie forces. But even this will not be enough. The EU nations don't just need collaboration on new formations, they need to spend money on the right kit, on the right numbers of troops with the right training to handle today's complex missions; and above all they need to be prepared to use it all. This means more collaboration in defence planning and procurement - to make the European whole greater than the sum of the national parts, but it also means far greater political will than has been on show so far.

For the first time in more than 200 years we are moving into a world not wholly dominated by the West. If we want to influence this environment rather than be held to ransom by it, and if we want to take hold of some of the worrying features of globalisation, then real, practical multilateralism is a strategic necessity, not a liberal nicety.

Lord Robertson of Port Ellen is a former General-Secretary of Nato, and Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon was the High Representative of the International Community in Bosnia & Herzegovina. They are co-chairmen of the IPPR Commission on National Security in the 21st century.

Some posters said to get rid of UN. So lets form blocks then.
1) USA, GB, Australia, Canada, NZ for AngloSaxon people.
2) All Europe
3) Russia and its allied states
4) All Asia
5) African countries
6) Middle East
7)Others
Umm ponder abit. UN still seem relevant? Yes

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Unless stopped at once, the UN and the EU will take away the rest of the UK's freedoms, and Mother England ( She needs a Constitution for her people!) will be a prisoner in chains of her own laziness. The most civilized nation on Earth will be only a dimming memory. What a pity!

B. Lee Pemberton, Sarasota, FL , USA

"The Christina Project" offers a posssible systems based solution to the problems that governments face in the 21st Century. If the UK government was serious about national security it would investigate/risk-assess all possible solutions and implement the best. UK MP's should demand this approach.

Blair, Aberdeen, UK

What nonsense!

The EU is a top-down organization that does not dare to ask its own people to approve its "constitution". The UN is already corrupt and stalemated - now you want to add three more permanent members? It is hard enough to get the current five to agree on anything significant ...

Andre, Portland, USA

"In Europe there is no area of threat that couldn't be more effectively addressed through deeper collaborative effort."

Except, of course, the "deeper collaborative effort" itself and its dangers.

Isn't it odd that these days all we get is scaremongering urging us to give up our freedoms?

jon livesey, Sunnyvale, CA/USA

In a day when international megacorporations rule the roost the only counterbalancing force are associations of governments such as the UN and particularly the EU. International businesses are like medieval fiefdoms and EU and UN are needed to keep them in their place.

Jon Maynard, Lansing MI, USA

Despite high admiration for both authors - their solutions and the organisations suggested are hopelessly structured - new highly targeted organisations would be a better proposal.

The EU & UN have no salvation and the sooner both wither & die the better.

Richard, Bucharest,

Until the UN values the votes of democracies over those of tyrannies, it is a morally bankrupt outfit. No civilized country should ever allow its decisions to be subject to veto by the collected terrorists and blowhards of the UN. Time for an alternative.

Nick, Rotherham, UK

Both institutions started with high hopes and great principles, now both are democratic deserts fatally mired in bureaucracy, corruption. These must be addressed before any "beefing up" is considered. The UN can only be "beefed up" by the USA, while its agenda is largely anti-USA. Get real.

Richard Dell, Preston, UK

To: Rocky, Boston, USA

John Buckeridge was referring to the massive profits being made by US companies who got first pick on all those juicy reconstruction and civil engineering contracts after your government obliterated, beyond all military benefit, the Iraqi infrastructure.

Get a clue!

Rob, London, EU

Shouldn't "bald" be "bold" ????? - or is it just a hairless statement?

Ian, London,

Ashdown and Robertson - if you respect UN you can reform it.
If you ignore UN and bypass it (Iraq, Kosovo) you have no moral rights to say anything before you say 'sorry we were wrong'.
EU is a 'no-good & no-future' totalitarian mega-state.
Yr suggestions are 'new ideas' to increase waste of money.

savo, london, uk

Good to hear from Lord Robison as he was the last Good Defence Secretary we had. What is he doing now. We need him back to replace the current Part Timer!

Dean, Southampton, England

Why would I agree to arm the plutocratic EU?
I want it disbanded or at the very least overhauled.
Full marks for scaremongering though, you should work for ZanuLabour

Phill, The Wirral, England

Ashdown and Robertson, want to 'reform' the UN in the West's image after being responsible for gutting it - Ashdown looks for a new colonialism (he was also viceroy of Bosnia), Roberston to wage NATO war at will regardless of the UN.

Don't like the rules, then the institutions must be wrong!

Alex, Brussels,

For all those against empowering EU and UN: Euroscepticism and inate distrust of the UN are actually major hallmarks of the American neo-cons. They want America to run the world and for there to be NO challenges to this authority. If you want to play into their hands, just stay anti-EU and anti-UN.

Ian, Washington, DC

To: John Buckeridge:
You Say: "please remember that its our boys in Iraq dying for your country's profit"

What profit is that?
The so called oil we went into Iraq for?
Last time I filled up my tank with gas the price was $2.00 more a gallon than last year and rising.
Get a clue!

Rocky, Boston, USA

Just a ragbag wishlist - they an everyone else knows the EU is too pacifist now to be much use anywhere and the UN is dominated by dictatorships to whom democracy and personal freedom is anathema. McCain's idea is the best of a bad bunch.

Neil Murphy, cromer,

More unelected and for years now totally unaccountable EU bureacrats along with the nepotism filled elites in the UN running the world? I will take the US system with all its warts anytime over these institutions every time - because at least the Americans can throw the rascals out every 4 years.

Adam Thomas, Budapest, Hungary

To Erin in New York, "[when] it's time to act and actually do something, well, thats a different matter all together", please remember that its our boys in Iraq dying for your country's profit, and that a beefed-up UN and EU would be just what is required to prevent future US cowboy foreign policy.

John Buckeridge, Harrow, EU

Comments are right, UN and other huge institutions are undemocratic and filled with self serving individuals.Just like a closed shop mentality. But with a lot of nepotism going on and no accountability. am all for disbanding them.

ann, london, England

The UN ? Prevent wars ? not one.

Pressure rogue states ? Most get to sit on the UN Security Council (Iran laughs).

Defend Human Rights ? The worst offenders (Sudan) are never sanctioned and sit on the newly-reformed Human Rights Council. It is a travesty.

Shut the UN down.

Petras Vilson, Ottawa, Canada

We should take heed of Lord Robertson & Paddy Ashdown, who have seen for themselves the increasing scope of transnational crime.
Criminals and terrorism are borderless and in most cases, adapting faster than the British agencies designed to fight it.

We must abandon Island thinking or lose.

Pat van der Veer, Wallasey,Merseyside, U.K.

It is large unaccountable institutions like the UN and the EU which are the greatest danger in the modern world.They are far more totalitarian than anything we face.

Peter, Manchester, England

Self serving piffle from professional politicians who care nothing at all for the electorate - these cardinals of our bureacracy 'know best' so please, don't ask for a referendum...

Nancy, Wantage, UK

those propositions are more or less what the EU (its high representative Javier Solana) will prepare during french and Czech presidencies. Since the Lisbon Treaty allows more and more actions and missions, it is highly probable that we would get an updated european security strategy (2003) May '09.

Pierre, Strasbourg, France

Dear Lords Robertson and Ashdown - If your life is better with all these panEuropean agencies, why not just disband NATO? There are a lot of Americans that believe that would be just fine. We have outlived our usefulness to Europe, so have a go on your own.

kermit, racine, USA

These guys are nuts. Why invest any more effort in undemocratic, morally bankrupt institutions providing more jobs for the boys.

Mike, Sydney,

Beef up your military and get rid of the UN and EU. Neither has Britain's interests at heart.

Fernandez, San Jose, CA

Boy, I've got to hand it to you European's. You guys are the best woulda coulda shoulda people in the world. But when the whistle blows and it's time to act and actually do something, well, thats a different matter all together now isn't it.

erin, new york, usa

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We must beef up the UN and the EU

If we are to tackle the perils of a globalised world, we have to rethink our international institutions

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